/JUSTICE/EQUALITY HEW TO THE UNE\
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PHONE HA.0800'
__,__tjKANT ST_
VOL. XXI—No. 14._THE OMAHA GUIDE OMAHA, NEBR. Saturday, May 1st, 1948 ONLY TEN CENTS PER COPY
U. S. SHOULD MAKE
CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
UNNECESSARY—WHITE
New York, N. Y. April 15th—
Disavowing “civil (lisobedien- i
ce as an eiiective technique for
solving the race problem,” Wa
lter \\ hite secretary of the Na
tional Association for the Ad
vancement of Colored People,
expressed the hope in a letter
to senator Wayne Morse “that
sufficient courage can be mus
tered by the government to do
the simple thing which will
make unnecessary' and unthin
kable any campaign of civil dis
obedience. Tljat simple act is
to wipe out segregation forth
with.”
Mr. White's letter of April
14 was in responce to a wire
from Senator Morse deploring
what he deemed NAAUP “en
couragement” of the proposal
made by A. Philip Randolph,
for complete non-participation
in any selective service or un
iversal military training pro
gram which does not specific
ally prohibit racial segregation.
Meanwhile on the floor of
the Senate, April 12, Mr. Mor
se, a member of the NAACP
board of directors, demanded
to know “how far Mr. White
would go, as secretary of that
association, in supporting Mr.
Randolph’s position, because
if he or the other officials of
that association are going to
support to any degree what so
ever Mr. Randolph’s civil dis
obedience program, I serve
notice now that I shall dissoc
iatemyself from the board of
directors of that association”.
Asserting that “we have not
counseled Negroes to refuse to
serve their country,” Mr. W hi
te'concluded: “We would be
less than honest and grosslv
derelict to the membership of
the NAACP and to America it
self if we did not say blutly
that the Negro is totally fed up
with segregation in the armed
services and will oppose in ev
ery legitimate and legal fash
ion such segregation.”
He cited the'“galling injust
ices” and discriminations en
dured by Negro troops in the
last war and charged that “the i
unnecessary and dangerous em j
phasis on racial segregation I
broadens the chasm of antagon j
ism between Negro and White
Americans because the Army j
and Navy lack the courage to '
abolish segregation. This pra
ctice has caused the United
States to be ridiculed throug
out the world, particularly a
mong the two-thirds of thhe
people of the earth who are col
ored.”
Not only has Congress fail
ed to take effective steps to
wards eliminating segregation
in the armed services, Mr.
White maintained, but has also
engaged in “the cheapest of
politics” with regard to a
minimum civil rights program.
“It is openly reported,” he said,
that the Republicans are de
bating how little they can do
on the civil rights program and
still attract Negro support.
They are reported to favor an
emasculated anti-lynching bill,
overlooking the demand for ab
olition of the poll tax and free
dom to secure jobs on merit
through a federal fair employ
ment practice law, believing
that the Negro vote can be pur
chased by passage of one em
asculated bill. . . On the other
side on the aisle there is little
difference of attitude.”
ATTENTION
The Guadeamus Club. Inter
racial study group is inviting
the 14 successful candidates for
the City Commission to a me
eting on May 4th at the Cent
ral \ MCA at 17th and St.
Mary’s The purpose of this
meeting is to learn the plat
form of these candidates and to
get acquainted. The public is
cordially invited. Time 7: p.m.
EQUALIZATION
REQUIRED
Richmond, Va., April 15—
Educational equalization was
required by a decision handed
down on April 7 by U. S. Dis
trict Judge Sterling Hutche
son who ruled that facilities
afford Negro pupils in Ches
terfield, King George and Glo
ucester countries were inferior
to those for white children. De
claratory judgements and in
junctions will be emerged in
each case. Spottswood W. Ro
binson, regional NAACP coun
sels handled the case.
RECKLESS DRIVING
Foster Goodlett, Jr., 2726
Binney Street, was charged
with reckless driving. No pros
ecution.
URGES SENATORS TO
BAN REGIONAL COL
LEGE PLAN
New York, N. Y„ April 15—
Continuing the fight against
congressional approval of the
southern plan for segregation
regional educational institut
ions, Walter White, secretary
of the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored
People, today dispatched com
munications to 75 members of
the Senate urging them “to op
pose this measure if and when
it reaches the floor of the sen
ate.” o
Action of the Senate Judici
ary sub-committee last week
favoring the Jim Crow plan
was condemned by the NAAC
P board of directors as “compl
icity in the plot of the south
ern governors to circumvent
the Supreme Court decisions in
the Gaines and Sipuel cases.’"
The committee approved the
plan by a 6 to 2 vote. Voting
for were Senators E. H. Moore,
Oklahoma, Pat McCarran, Nev
J. Wm. Fulbright, Ark., For
rest C. Donnell, Mo., James O.
Eastland, Miss., and Alexander
Wiley, Wise. Senators Honher
Ferguson, Mich., and William
Langer, N. D. voted against ap
proval. Senator J. Howard Me
Grath, R. I., abstained from
voting.
In his letter which went to
all Senators except those from
the deep South. Air. White ex
pressed “shock” that the com
mittee has approved the plan
“in the face of the unanimous
opposition to the measure by
all responsible Negro educat
ional, church, professional bus
iness and civic organizations.”
He asked the Senators to with
hold approval of the plan be
cause it was designed to extend
segrated education to the reg
ional level and because it con
travened the Supreme Court
decisions-“which require states
to furnish to Negro students
educational opportunities equ
al to that furnished white stu
dents within the state bound
aries.” • <
TO RELEASE ARMY
PRISONER
New York, X. Y., April 15—
Release on home parole for
Army prisoner Eugene H. Ho
rd of Baltimore has been ap
proved and will become effect
ive on or about May 27, accor
ding to information from the
U. S. Department of the Army
received here this week by Fr
anklin H. Williams, assistant
special counsel for the Nation
al Association for the Advan
cement of Colored People.
Hord, tried by a general
court martial sitting at Koku
ra, Japan on January 27, 1947,
was charge with having com
mitted armed assult upon an
other soldier and a Japanese
civilian. Convicted of the char
ge, he was sentenced to ten
years confinement at hard la
bor. Investigation by the NA
ACP lawyer revealed extenua
ting circumstances on the bas
is of which a plea for clemency
was filed with the Department
of the Army.
Ida Rahn, student of Cent-t
ral High School, winner of the!
Elks Oratorical Contest.
\ ictor Wilburn of Central
High School won secand place.
Each contestant was award
ed a token of appreciation. The
winner awarded transportat
ion and expenses to the Reg
ional Contest, the contestants
there will be the winners from
the several states of our Dist-1
rict. The winners will *be award
ed a $1,000 scholarship.
NEARLY $16,000 COLLECT
ED FOR DEFENSE OF
MRS. INGRAM
New York, N. Y„ April 15—
The National Association for
the advancement of Colored
People today annouced receipt
of a total of $15,853.50 for the
defense of Mrs. Rosa Lee In
gram and her two teenage sons
convicted of a self-defense slay
ing by an all-white jury in Am
ericus, Georgia.
The sum represents the total
amount received by the nation- ■
al office and does not include
funds sent to the Americus, Ga.
branch. The bulk of the mon
ey came from 117 NAACP bra
nches which contributed $13,
094.25 Thirty-two organization
civic, social, labor, religious &
political —contributed $1,083.
78. From churches all over the
country came 800.18. The re
maining $875.29 was contribut
ed by individuals.
Although the death senten
ces first imposed on the Ingr
ams have been vacated, they
still face life imprisonment.
Edward R. Dudley, assistant
special counsel for the NAAC
P., left rfhis week to consult
with Austin T. Walden and o
ther Georgia attorneys in pre
paration for an appeal to the
State Supreme Court for a new
trial. The NAACP is prepared
to carry the case to the United
States Supreme Court if neces
sary to gain the freedom of Mrs
Ingram and her sons.
STOP — LOOK — AND
SAVE
Stop Look and Save at Sam
mys’. Have you met Sammy?
Xo! if not you will. He is to be
our new business man. Just gc
in and say. Hello, Sammy. He
will specialize in all types of
meat, that you want, at the
lowest prices.
Don't forget Thrifty Market.
Go in and see Sammy.
COME TO 2nd SERIES OF
RALLIES AGAINST DIS
CRIMINATION
Come to Clair Memorial
Methodist church at 22nd and
Miami Streets, May 4, Tues
day evening, at 8:00 p. m., to
hear these people who are wil
ling to help break down the dis
criminatory practices in our
community and the whole of
Omaha. Our first meeting was
a great success. Please come
and bring a friend, as your
support is greatly needed. Eve
ryone, please, come.
NEGRO REPRESENTA
TION ON RENT BOARD
ASKED
Washington, DC., April 15—
Negro representation on local
rent advisory boards set up un
der the recently passed Rent
Control Act was urged by Les
lie S. Perry of the Washington
bureau of the National Assoc
iation for the Advancement of
Colored People.
In a letter addressed to Tig
he Woods, Federal Housing
Expediter. Mr. Perry pointed
out that the law provided for
the appointment of “citizens o'
the area who, as a group, are
.epresentative of the affected
nterested in the area.” Appoint
ments are made upon recom
mendation of the state govern
TS.
“It is our sincere hope, ’ Mr.
Perry said, “that you will re
ect all new nominations, or
nembers of existing boards",
w hose appointments would
not be consistent with board
area represetation.” In a mem
orandum to all NAACP bran
ches, the Washington repre
sentative suggested that name
of qualified persons be agreer
upon and submitten to the go
vernor with a recommendation
for appointment.
i -
Additional Dial
Switching
Equipment
Additional dial switching
equipment is now being instal
led in the new PLeasant office
telephone building at 4608 No.
30th Street to serve about 1,
800 telephone customers now
served by other central offices,
it is announced by C. D. Giet
zen, district manager for the
Northwestern Bell Telephone
Company. The new equipment
will be ready for service i n
September, Mr. Gietzen said.
The territory to be transfer
red includes some from the
northeast part of the WAlnut
Glendale area, some form the
southwest part of the Kenwo
r
od area, and some(trom tne no
I rth part of the ATlantic Jack
son HArney Webster area. All
telephone customers in the ter
ritory to be transferred now
have dial service except those
in the KEnwood area of which
there are about 300. Work of
converting their telephone in
struments for dial service has
been started, Mr. Gietzen said.
This transfer of telephones
is being made to lessen the
load on other offices and is an
other step toward providing
more and better service for the
people of Omaha, Mr. Dietzen
explained
Aaron Douglas
Aaron Douglas, one of Am
erica’s foremost contemporary
artists, adjusts one of his por
traits at his exhibit last week
at Fisk University where he
heads the art department. Mr.
Douglas’ exhibit was accepted
and later cancelled by two of
Nashville's leading cultural
centers but finally displayed at
Fisk University was impartia
lly acclaimed by critics. Ruth
Campbell of the Nashville Ten
nessean (daily) declared that
it had been “some time since
art lovers in Nashville had
been treated to a show as out
standing as Douglas’ ” and la
mented the fact that because
oft" transportation difficulties
many citizens would be denied
an impressive showing of the
paintings that merit unprejud
iced recognition.”
31 a King waierproor uiue
Waterproof glue having good ad
hesive qualities can be made by
soaking ordinary glue in water un
til it swells, then draining. Put the
glue in a glue pot and add an
equal amount of linseed oil, cook
this mixture slowly until the mix
ture is a jellylike mass. It will
Spread easily if heated before be- j
ina used. I
Rise in Cancer
During the past 25 years, cancer
has climbed from seventh to sec
ond place as a direct cainse of death.
It is now second to heart trouble as
a cause of death. About 175,000
Americans will die of cancer this
year and of the total population of
140 million now living, some 17 mil
lion will die of cancer.
War On Weeds
Omahans will be made con
scious of the importance of
cleaning up weeds during a
“war on weeds” week, accord
ing to Val Kuska, chairman of
the Omaha WVr on Weeds
Committee.
The War on Weeds program
in Omaha is part of the overall
state-wide War on Weeds wh
ich is being conducted by Gov.
Val Peterson and a state Ex
ecutice Committee.
During the week of April 25
to May 1, will be climaxed by
a weed meeting at the Cham
ber of Commerce dining room.
Dr. E. L. Mac Quiddv, As
sociate Professor of Medicine,
University of Nebraska, will
show- slides illustrating how
allergy weeds affect human he
alth. A motion picture will be
shown on the control of weeds
and John D. Furrer, Extens
ion Weed Specialist, Univer
sity of Nebraska, will discuss
control of weeds on lawns, fen
ce rows, and vacant lots. Paul"
Steward, Chairman of the Ag
ricultural Committee, Omaha
Chamber of Commerce, will
conduct a question and answer
period.
“We w-ant to improve the
health of Omaha people and
change the looks of the city by
making them conscious of the
problem that weeds have be
come,” declared Mr. Kuska.
Edward Matthews
Edward Matthews, brilliant
young baritone who will ap
pear at Tisk University’s 19t'n
annual Festival of Music and
Art on April 29th. The former
Fisk Jubilee Singe will pre
sent a program of folk music
from many countries, selection
fro “Porgy and Bess.” and Am
erican Xegro work songs, spir
ituals and compositions.
John Wesley Work
John Wesley Work, profes
sor of music theory at Fisk Un
, iversity, who will appear on a
! seminar ‘Folk Music” during
i the 19th annual Festival of
; Music and Art on May 1. Par
. ticipating in the discussion
I with \\ ork will be Charles Se
eger, chief of music division,
Pan-American Union, and G.
M allace \\ oodworth, director
of arvard University Glee Club.
FIRST RED CROSS STAN
DARD COURSE
A first aid Class is being
! started at the Near Northside
I } V CA., 22nd and Willis, at
j 7 :00 p. m. Tuesday, May 4. It
is being set up for the Purple
Cross Visiting Nurses. Anyone
who is interested in the class,
nlease contact Cleo Edwards,
HArney 1299, William O’He
arn is Red Cross Director.
LAD HIT BY BULLET
C. R. Willis, 2025 Ohio St.
reported to Police late Sunday
that he had fired a shot at two
prowlers who appeared at his
home. A little later Charles
Watkins 16, of 2006 Ohio St.,
told persons at 24th and Grant
Street he had been struck by a
stray bullet as he was walking
along 24th. He suffered a wo
und in the neck. Police took
him to county Hospital. Det
ectives questioned John Paull
ing. 15, of 966 North 24th St.
who was with him and he told
the same thing. Pauelling said
he and Watkins merely intend
ed to peak into the house. Mr.
M illis said someone had tried
to enter his home, twice in the
past. He waited Sunday night
with a gun for them to return.
FISK ANNUAL FESTIVAL
OF MUSIC & ART
Nashville Tennessee—Folk
music will be heard and discus
sed at Fisk University’s 19th
annual Festival of Music and
Art, April 29th, 30th, and May
1 in concerts ’by Edward Mat
thews and the 100-voice Uni
versity Choir and a seminar on
“Folk Music" featuring three
national authorities, G. Wallac
Woodworth, Charle^ Seeger,
and John W. Work.
Edward Matthews, brilliant
baritone, who is generally con
| sidered one of the most versa
! tile artists in America today,
will appear with the University
Choir on April 29th. The sem
inar on “Folk Music” takes
place, May 1 with Charles Se
eger, chief of music division,
Pan-American Urn ion, and
John Work, professor of music
theory, Fisk University as the
speakers. G. Wallace Wood
worth, 'director of the Har
vard University Glee Club,
will be a concert by the Uni
verstiy Choir on the evening df
May 1. Highlights of the even
ing will be the third public
, performance of Paul Hende
1 mith’s “Apparebit Repentina
Dies” for a mixed chorus and
brass instruments. The choir
is under the direction of John
F. Ohl with Authur Croley at
the console.
•Musical artists and scholars
I at the Festival will share the
spotlight with Pearl Primus,
famous Interpreter of African
dances; Marjorie Kinnan Raw
lings, author of The Yearling;
Robert Redfield, professor of
anthropology, University of
Chicago; and John Hope Fra
nklin, author of From Slavery
to Freedom, all of whom will
be appearing during the three
days.
Matthew’s concert will fea
ture folk songs of various co
untries', compositions by Neg
ro composers, and selections
from “Porgt and Bess,” the
folk-inspired opear in which he
starred. In his concluding num
|bers featuring Negro work so
ngs as arranged by J. W. Wo
rk and a group of spirituals,
the baritone will take lead and
will be joined in the chorus by
the University Choir.
A graduate of Fisk Univer
sity, Matthews toured Europe
and America as a member of
the famous Fisk Jubilee sing
ers. He resigned his position as
director of jubilee music at Fi
sk to take advantage of Broad
way, radio and concert offers.
Fisk University is widely
recognized as having produc
ed the leading authorities in
Such an authority is John Wes
the field of Negro folk music,
ley Work, one of the country’s
leading composers who will ap
pear ont he seminar “Folk Mu
sic”, May 1st. His book, Am
erican Negro Songs is rated a
mong the best in this phase, of
American folk music. The com
poser is also a graduate of the
Fisk University and both of
his parents were Fisk Jubilee
Singers.
Sweeter Than Sugar
A flew^chemical compound which
is said to be 4,000 times as sweet as
cane has been discovered by Nether
land scientists. This new compound
is a benzene derivative, to which
the chemical name l'-n-propoxy-2
amino-4-nftrobenzene has been
given.
A pair put a box under his
window and he called to them
and they ran. He then fired
when they didn’t stop.
GOV. DUFF TO RECEIVE
FIRST EMBLEM CLUB A
WARD
| Philadelphia— Christian St.
Branch of the International
i Etrfblem Club has announced
that its first annual “ Distin
guished Service Award” will
'be presented to Governor Jas.
H. Duff on Thursday evening.
April 29 at the Branch.
The event, which will be the
(high-lighht of the Annual Ac
itivities Week program that
is scheduled yearly at the
Branch, will mark the first
.presentation of an annual
award which is to be made
under the auspices of the Em
blem Club unit. It was reveal
ed that the basis for the award
will be the “contribution of
an individual to the expension
of the principles of human
rights and the preservation of
individual dignity in the de
velopment of our democratic
philosophy.”
The selection of Gov. Duff
as an initial recipient, was re
vealed to be based on his vig
orous and forthright action in
“re-opening a vista of hope tb ‘
all youth in the Common
wealth and renewing the faith
that they reach their goals if
they are prepared, regardless
of race 5'r creed.”
Gov. Duff was nominated
for the honor by the Past Pres
idents Council of the organi
zation, and his selection was
unanimously endorsed at a re
cent meeting of the body at
the Branch. It was revealed
that the Governor’s precedent
making appointment of Mun
icipal Court Judge Herbert E.
Millen, as well as his vigorous
stand on matters of world-wide
significance are in consonance
efforts to obtain a state FEPC
law, weighed heavily in the
decision. It was also noted
that the Chief Executive's
with the ideals of the inter
national organization of which
this unit is an integral part.
Although the bulk of the
tickets of admission will be re
• served to the members of th<*
Branch, it is expected that a
group of Negro and white civ
ic leaders will be in attendance
at the dinner-meeting. Gov.
1 Duff will make a major ad
dress, it is 'believed, and it is
expected that he will discuss
the stake of youth in world
affairs. <
In commenting on the selec
tion of Gov. Duff, Milton H.
Washingt o n, Executive Sec.
retary at the Branch, stated
, that “Theje is a crying need
tor action by persons promin
ent in both public and private
j affairs which would give youth
some hope and renewed con
fidence in rewards for honest
achievement.
One of the major problems
now being faced by those of us
who work with young people
is that of trying to answer the'
sometimes unasked question
as to why they should keep
hope in the.future. This is es=
pecially true of minority ^outh
who often see before them only
barriers rooted in philosophies
and practices foreign to Chris
tian concepts. Gov. Duff has
made a signal contribution to
ward the revival of this hope
among the Commonwealth’s
■minority young people at a
time when the whole world
need that kind of example,”
Mr. Washington advised.
The institution of the award
marks another milestone in the
annuals of the Christian
Street unit, which is consider
ed to be one of the most out
standing segments of the
world-wide organization.
Membership is based on
participation in the annual
membership campaigns, and
the Christian Street Branch
has been notable for its ob
taining of worthy boy mem
berships in behalf of those
youngsters who might not
otherwise be afforded the fac-,
ilities of the YMCA. . I
The local chapter is present
ly headed by E. Rudolphus
Clemons, prominent business
school head, and there are;
more than 200 members, whose
efforts at the Branch have
warranted their selection. The 1
Past Presidents Council is
headed by Mrs. Elanor Shieds
long active in Christian Street
affairs and a dynamic woman
civic leader in the community.
Many other activities are
being planned for the annual
observance of Activities Week
at the Branch, including a
“Gym” carnival, a Boy’s Day
program, exhibits, lectures and
many other features that make
up the yearly celebration. The
week will officially begin on
April 25th with a reception '
and tea by the Ladies Auxil
iary at the Branch, and will
continue throughout the en
tire week.
Attack^ Sugar Beets
Five virus diseases are known to
attaci? sugar beets in the United
States. Curly top is the most
serious. |
OUR
Guest
Column
BATTLE-AX AND BREAD
By Lester B. Graner
It is impossible to comment
adequately on A. Philip Ran
dolph’s statement before the
Senate Armed Services Com
mittee in one weekly column
of less than 700 words. But it
is also impossible to pass ov
er without comment what has
become “the controversy of
the month” in racial relations.
Thus I shall have to be con
tent With pointing out some of
the inner complexities of the
question posed by Mr. Rando
lph, and hope for a chance to
follow up more thoroughly in ’
a later column.
One must start by recogniz-*
ing that, regardless of differ
ences of opinion regarding the
wisdom of the Randolph sta
tement, there was complete
moral justification for the in
dignation that prompted .it.
For too long, official Wash
ington leadership has played
wdth, or ignored, a vital issue
of supreme importance to ev
ery young American, white or
Negro. From Secretary Stim
son, to Patterson to Royall to
the General Council, and back
again,-the buck has been pas
sed for seven long years of
war and “peace”vand still the
Army remained stubbornly
wedded to the basic policy of
racial segregation. There was
need for shocking the Ameri
can people into realization of
the seriousness of this issue—
for1 boldly challenging smug
indifference and blind stupid
ity alike.
But the shock method, in
treating social as well as phy
sical ills, must be applied care
fully and with full knowledge
of expected results. Other
wise the patient is as apt to be
killed as cured. And from the
newspaper reports of the hear
ing it is doubted that Mr. Ran
dolph spoke with advance cal
culation of the primary or
secondary effects of the induc
ed shock. z
\\ hat are some of those re
sults? Many Negroes enjoy
ed an exaltant thrill over the
fact that somebody “got those
white folks told!” Many whi
tes and Negroes, opposed for
political or ethical reasons to
any universal military training
program, take encouragement
from this new accretion of
strength to their cause. Ene
mies of the Negro’s progress
in any and all fields will use
the Randolph statement as
proof final of their claims that
“Negroes are not really good
100 per cent Americans”, and
are not to be relied upon in
time of crisis. White liberals
in support of the Negro’s de
mocratic aspirations will,
many of them, be left bewil
Negro’s efforts and a belief
that the nation’s interest must
be defended by all in time of
peril.
WJiat are some of the log
ical implications of the Ran
dolph position? One is that
those who refuse, because of
a moral commitment, to bear
citizenship responsibilities that
race labelled ‘for Negroes only’
must, to be consistant, disdain
to accept any benefits or privil
eges similarly labelled. For the
same commitment that makes
a man defy a jim-crow milit
ary service experience must
bar him from joining a jim
crow union local, eating in a
jim-crow restaurant, attending
attending a jim-crow show, ri
ding a jim-crow bus, or other
wise conforming to the dicta
of a racist system of living.
Now, all of this may seem
to be splitting hairs, but it is
not. Sooner or later we Negro
es must arrive at a planned,
consistent and morally defen
sible scheme of racial action
that will win united support
because it makes commonsen
se. We cannot, for instance,
insist upon a fair employment
practice because “our racial
interest is the common nation
al interest,” and then in the
same breath declare that the.
national defense is none of our
business until and unless it is
carried out in democratic fash
ion. There is no doubting that
the Randolph advice will carry
a powerful sympathetic ap-”
peal to thousands of frustra
ted and resntful young Negro
es. ut that adice does not go
far enough. Our youth must
also be advised on the other
demands upon their courage
and honesty that implicit in
fefusal to bear arms. Thejr
I (Cqntinued on Page 3) j,
